Thirteen Daisies
by redkat97
Summary: Due to an unforseen circumstance, Bella and Edward reunite after many years apart. Bella remembers their past in flashbacks, as she looks to build her own future.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
Special thanks to Dollybigmomma for cleaning up my messes and for urging me to develop this little story. **_

_**Thirteen Daisies**_

_**By: Redkat97**_

_**Prologue**_

My feet sank into the drenched grass and mud, until I'd finally located the path I was in search of. The sounds of birds chirping and crickets were the soundtrack to my simple mission-find my Cousin Marcus for my Aunt Lizzie and tell him,_ "It was time to settle in for the evening." _

I'd been down this path numerous times before, spending many summer days and nights in the treehouse just at the end of it. It had been Tyler's treehouse first. Then, it had been passed down to Marcus once Tyler became a teenager and started liking girls, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes, even though Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Tony didn't know about the beer and cigarettes. I wouldn't tell, either.

I couldn't wait for the day Marcus was no longer interested in the treehouse. Then, it would be mine all mine, and I could have daddy paint it pink and keep all my "Tiger Beat" magazines in it, and I could daydream about Ashton Kutcher. It would be so awesome.

Visions of the adorable TV icon flooded my mind, and I nearly missed the first clue that I was nearing the treehouse-the _thirteen daisies_. Aunt Lizzie never planted them, but she'd pointed them out to me one time. They'd just always grown there. Beautiful and bright white, they were a stark contrast to the dark and rich greens of the trees and growth in the surrounding area.

I'd counted them one time. _ Thirteen_. I found that interesting, so I decided to count them every time, and sure enough, there'd been _thirteen_ every time. I wished I could pick one, but then there would only be twelve, and I didn't like twelve as much as _thirteen_. Twelve meant I was still just a little girl. Twelve meant I still attended Forks Elementary School. Twelve meant I was not old enough to hang out with Marcus and the rest of his _fourteen_-year-old friends, and by the time I turned thirteen, I still wouldn't be allowed, because then they'd all be _fifteen_. I'd just never be old enough. Not ever.

The treehouse appeared in my direct line of vision, just a few short steps from the thirteen daisies, and I called to Marcus before I got too close.

"Marcus!"

An angry face peeked out the open window at me. It was Marcus alright, and he looked like he might want to kill me. I didn't care. I was just the messenger.

"What?" he snapped angrily at me, cigarette in between two fingers, as he rested his armpits on the bottom of the wood cutout window.

"Your mom said for me to come get you," I put my hands on my hips and gave my best pouty face. Just then, two other boys I'd never seen before began climbing out of the treehouse and down the ladder. They resembled one another, and I couldn't help but wonder if they were the Cullen brothers Marcus had been talking about all summer.

My hands remained on my hips, as they drew nearer to me, and Marcus disappeared from the window, only to reappear moments later, descending the tree.

"Who are you?" one of them asked, quite rudely if you asked me, but I couldn't find it in me to get mad, because he was very dreamy and might even pass for Ashton Kutcher.

"Isabella Swan," I told them. _There_. Process that, losers.

"You never told us you have a little sister, Swan," the shorter one said, as he looked back at Marcus.

"She's my cousin, moron."

I remained steadfast with my hands on my hips, tapping my toe and giving my best "know-it-all" face.

The taller boy continued to eye me cautiously, as Marcus finally reached the ground. "Isabella Swan," he snorted, as he attempted to contain his laughter.

My face heated red and it embarrassed me, not in the way my dad dancing around the house in front of my friends did, but in a new, different way. He was making me blush, and I was not sure I'd ever felt this sort of embarrassment before.

"Esmeralda Toad," he said again with a question in his voice. I eyed him with perplexity. The boys laughed.

"Icky-jelly Pawn."

_More confusion. Laughter._

"In-a-Hella Tom"

Marcus and the shorter boy were cracking up, and I still didn't understand why.

"It's just a funny name, ya know," the taller boy at last explained, "_Isabella Swan."_

"Bella, these are my friends, Edward and Jasper Cullen," Marcus stepped in. "Guys, this is my _little_ cousin, Bella. She's staying with us this week."

I'd started laughing before Marcus even had a chance to finish his introduction. "Your names are Edward and Jasper, and _you're _making fun of _me_?"

I turned and ran back down the path and past the thirteen daisies, before they had a chance to make fun of me one last time.

"Wait! Wait up!" Edward Cullen chased after me. I ran as fast as my jelly shoes would carry me, never looking back. I could hear his footsteps drawing closer and closer, as my attempts to speed up became futile.

"Isabella," Edward Cullen grabbed my hand and pulled me around to face him. He made me so nervous, and he made me so mad, and he made me so…_oh… _I didn't even know_, _but he made me_…something_.

"What?" I snapped.

He smirked at me, hiding something behind his back with just his left hand.

"I shouldn't have made fun of your name. You're right. Edward isn't a great name, either. 'Isabella' suits you, though," he poked me in the belly with his right pointer finger. My little tummy was sticking out of my tied-up sleeveless blouse enough for Edward Cullen to get a good view of my belly button.

"Here. My apologies," he shoved the hidden object from behind his back in my direction. Feeling a mix of emotions, I was not sure if I wanted to hit Edward Cullen or kiss him. He'd picked one of my thirteen daisies.

* * *

"_So tell me this again, Bella. I picked one of your daisies?"_

_Edward Cullen and I were lying in the grass together just off the path, near the Shasta daisies which now grew in bunches all over. He'd just turned sixteen, and I was still fourteen for another three months. I had such a crush on him, and no one knew it; well, my best friend, Alice, knew all about it, and I suspected that Marcus might have known, too. But Edward himself, he had no idea. I was still just Marcus's little cousin. I'd caught him looking sometimes, though. I was maturing now, and my body was becoming less like a tomboy and more feminine. I had curves in all the right spots, good ones, too. I could have had my pick of any boy my age, but I didn't want any of the boys my age._

_I'd had a crush on Edward Cullen since that day in June three years ago, when he had handed me that daisy. I'd told him the story a million times over the years, but he always liked to hear it._

_I rolled my eyes, sitting up Indian-style, so that I could look down at his beautiful face. Even though I'd told him this story before, it felt different this time. I feared this time that he might read my thoughts and the hidden meaning behind the tale of the daisies. My stomach was in knots, and I nervously pulled some blades of grass from the ground._

"_So, there were always thirteen daisies in the bunch, and then you picked one, and I didn't know whether I wanted to hit you or…" I stopped myself short, briefly glancing away from him._

"_Or what? It must be really bad." He put his hands up to his eyes, using them as a shield from the sunshine, so he could get a better looks at me from his spot in the grass._

_I hesitated. I feared I might be overstepping a boundary that Edward Cullen and I had clearly defined over the years. I'd always just been Marcus's little cousin. I was just the little girl that Edward picked on and teased. I flirted with him relentlessly, and the older girls resented me. He defended me to them, and they hated me for it._

"_Or kiss you," I eventually replied nonchalantly, throwing a few more blades of grass over my shoulder, waiting for the laughter to ensue. It didn't._

_When I finally worked up enough nerve to look back down at Edward, his eyes were closed, and he had a blank expression on his face, leaving me no indication of his inner musings._

"_I don't remember that part of the story before. Do you still want to?" he responded at last. His eyes remained closed._

_My stomach turned inside out, and my palms began to sweat. Was he torturing me on purpose? I chewed on my bottom lip, too nervous to answer him._

"_Bella?"_

"_Yes?"_

_He sat straight up, his face just inches from mine. This was it. Finally, after three long years of waiting, Edward Cullen was going to kiss me. "Do you still want to hit me?"_

_I shook my head no._

"_Then, kiss me."_

**_A/N: So this story will be a combination of flashbacks to these time periods and a jump to the present time. Let me know what you think...Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO. See you next week! _**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
A HUGE thanks to Dolly for cleaning up my messes. She's better than 13-year-old Edward Cullen.**_

_**Chapter One – LABELS**_

"…_But Mom, I don't need my initials on my backpack anymore!" I whined, looking down at the "IMS" in perfect calligraphy on my new red L.L. Bean book bag. Why had she bought me a red one? It looked like it was for a boy. She knew my favorite color was purple._

"_What do you mean? I always get it monogrammed. Don't tell me you're too big now," she taunted me, as she messed up my hair that I had just brushed. I hadn't even had a chance to put my new headband in it yet. Instead of answering her, I rolled my eyes._

"_Don't you even, Isabella," she pointed her index finger at me. "You're not a teenager yet. You're not allowed to roll your eyes at me. At least wait until you're twelve. You only have a few more weeks."_

_She didn't need to remind me. I was counting down the days, the minutes. Then, I could begin my countdown to my thirteenth birthday. I could barely wait to be a teenager. I wanted to hang out with my older cousins and the rest of the cool kids and grow boobs and…_

"_Do you want mommy to get you another backpack?"_

_No, I want you to stop referring to yourself as mommy, I groaned in my head._

"_I'll just use my dance bag the first week. Can I get a new one this weekend?"_

_She smiled and nodded. Then suddenly, she was fighting to keep the smile on and the tears at bay._

"_My baby!" she cried and threw her arms around me. I really wished I was not an only child. "Can I at least get a picture of you in front of the fireplace? You look so pretty in your dress."_

_Oh, why not? I did have a pretty awesome dress._

_Sixth grade was just like fifth grade, except for the whole school looked up to you now, being the biggest kids in elementary school. I counted the minutes to the end of the day. Aunt Lizzie always picked us up after school, me, Tyler and Marcus. She had done so as long as I could remember, but this year was different. Tyler had gotten his driver's license, so he was taking himself and Marcus. I wasn't allowed to go with them, though, because they had football practice right after school. Mom didn't want me hanging around the football stadium. This had been a big discussion in the Swan residence in the weeks before school had started. I held out hope that they would let me, but in the end, my "safety" won out._

_As I left the school building to search for Aunt Lizzie's car, I caught a glimpse of Edward Cullen leaving the junior high school. Even after all the time he had spent at Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Tony's house this summer, the sight of him still sent my heart into a crazy rhythm. What I saw next, though, was enough to make my heart stop. He was surrounded by a group of eighth grade girls, giggling and vying for his attention._

_He certainly was the new kid on the block. "Fresh meat," Marcus had called him. Edward and Jasper had moved here just weeks before I had met them that day by the treehouse. Their father, Dr. Cullen, was the new Chief of Staff at Forks Hospital. They had moved here from Chicago._

_Instead of watching the gaggle of girls throw themselves at Edward, I focused my attention on the parking lot, trying to find Aunt Lizzie's van. I was surprised to hear my name being called. Well, my new nickname._

"_Daisy!" Edward's voice called out, "Daisy Mae!"_

_He had started calling me "Daisy" after I'd yelled at him for picking the flower that warm day in June. The smile on my face quickly spread. He was waving his arms and leaving the gaggle of girls with their jaws hanging open and looks of big disappointment on their faces._

_By the time Edward Cullen made his way over to me, he was out of breath._

"_How was your first day, Daisy?"_

"_Okay, I guess." I kicked a stone with my new Converse._

"_Well, if it makes you feel any better, I got detention already."_

_My head snapped up, "Detention?"_

_Edward Cullen was a bad boy. That was for sure. He spent most days in the treehouse smoking and talking about ways to get into trouble, or stay out of it._

_Edward smirked and then scratched his head. "Uh, yeah, for chewing gum," he laughed and then stuck his tongue out to show me a minty green piece. "My detention is to scrape all the gum from the bottoms of desks."_

_This caused me to giggle, uncontrollably. Edward laughed, too. Just then, Aunt Lizzie pulled up. "Do you need a ride, Edward?"_

"_No, Ma'am, I'm waiting for Jasper, but thanks." _

_He turned back to me, "See ya around, kid." Then, he headed right back in the direction of the girls. I thought I could physically feel my heart breaking. That was all I was to Edward Cullen - a kid…_

_._

_._

My heels clicked on the sidewalk, quick and steady. I could feel someone's eyes on me; and I as I gazed hastily to my left, I caught a glimpse of a trucker who had me in his sights. I smiled sweetly at him, knowing that I would be side-stepping into the main door of Forks National Bank in less than five steps.

He honked his horn, and it made me laugh to myself. _Men_. They were all alike after all. An attractive woman, dressed professionally and sauntering down the main street in a dress and heels, would make any one of them squirm. I'd know. I'd been using my feminine wiles for many years now.

Before I entered the bank, I slid my sunglasses on top of my head into a makeshift headband. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the door open and let out the breath as it gently closed behind me. I looked around, up and down, at the vaulted ceilings and marble countertops. Bank employees hustled and bustled, ushering people in and out of lines and offices.

I zeroed in on the small office that was the focus of my trip here to the bank today. The sign on the door read, "Alec Prosseda, Loan Officer." A secretary sat at a desk just outside the office door. She looked up from her typing as I approached.

"Miss Swan, here to see Mr. Prosseda, please."

I sat nervously outside the small office space, waiting for my appointment. My knees bounced up and down, as I impatiently wondered what Mr. Prosseda could possibly have to do in there that he couldn't see me immediately. After all, we had made this appointment weeks ago.

To pass the time, I began thinking about all of the things that would need to be done following this appointment. There was the Realtor, the sign company and the accountant to start. At least I would have Alice by my side. This had been our dream since we were little girls, to own a business together. It wasn't until this last year that I realized the dream would become a reality.

After high school, Alice and I had attended separate colleges. By that time, the two of us had so many friends that we never gave much thought to being away from one another. We visited, of course. She would travel to Seattle Pacific to see me, and I, in turn, would visit her at UCLA.

Then, when we were finished with school, we both moved back home and attempted to find work in this sleepy little town with our "big girl" degrees. That was a joke. Aunt Lizzie always lectured me, "You need to move to the city, Isabella."

But I liked it here, in Smalltown, USA, where I could leave my car doors unlocked when I ran into the grocery store, and drive any place in town within five minutes. It was a trade off, I supposed.

Sure, we joked about it in college, the two of us opening a business together; but never did I think it would actually happen, especially when Alice was majoring in Art History. Thank God I'd gotten my degree in Business Administration.

Alice's dream had always been to be a wedding planner, so we decided to tie it all in together. Our store would be your non-stop shop for any occasion you were planning.

"…and then I'll just need you to sign right here, Miss Swan," Mr. Prosseda handed me his blue ink pen, as I anxiously searched for the X, "and then please initial here, here and then here."

I followed his pointer finger, looking for the lines to initial, finally making my business loan complete. In turn, he handed me the check that would be buying my future.

"Good luck with your floral shop, Miss Swan. I'll be sure to stop in when it's my wife's birthday."

"Thank you, Sir. I look forward to assisting you."

I sauntered back out of the bank, even more confident than when I'd walked in just moments ago. As the morning sunlight welcomed me, I transferred my sunglasses back down over my eyes and let it all soak in. As I walked back to my car, I glanced at the storefront that would soon be my place of business for hopefully a long time to come. A nervous feeling ran through me, a feeling of excitement and of good things to come.

.

.

The aroma of blueberry muffins hit me as soon as I entered my parents' house. My mother, that wonderful woman, she always knew what would make my day complete. As if my day could get any better. My parents' house was the first stop on my long list of errands for the day. I promised I would let them know how things had gone at the bank. My father's SUV was not parked out front, a tell-tale sign that he was out golfing for the morning. I could hear my mother's voice speaking to someone on the phone, as I entered the kitchen from the front of the house.

"Yes, and I'm expecting her any minute. Oh wait, here she is now." She shoved the phone at me, just as I'd set my sights on the muffins. "Here. It's Aunt Lizzie." Damn. I guess the muffin would have to wait, but they were still warm…

"Congratulations, Bella!" My aunt's warm voice was like music to my ears. She had been like a second mom to me growing up. I'd spent a lot of time at their house, especially during the summers. Her voice reminded me of hot cocoa, make-up tutorials and treehouses.

I smiled into the phone, "Thank you, Aunt Lizzie. How's everyone?"

"Oh, they're fine. Tyler and Angela and the baby are coming home for Mother's Day, but you know Marcus. He's heading to Greece in a few days. Have you talked to him recently?"

I had, in fact. He had just called me last weekend to rub it in my face that he had just met Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam.

Marcus had earned his law degree a few years ago, and had really made a name for himself in the Seattle area. His list of clients included all of Washington's rich and elite. As a result, he was living life to the fullest, traveling and vacationing all over the world. He thoroughly enjoyed his single life, maybe a little too much. He was certainly a good catch, if you could catch him. It amazed me that some attractive young lady hadn't snatched him up yet.

"Yes. He sounded like he was loving life."

"Well, you know Marcus," Aunt Lizzie sighed. "You don't have any nice single friends for him, do you?"

"Aunt Lizzie, I wouldn't even know where to try to find someone who could handle him."

She laughed, "I know, Bella. I know. I just wish he'd settle down, but you know how Marcus and his friends are."

_Yes, I did._

After our brief conversation, I turned around to hand my mother the phone and found a blueberry muffin on a plate with a glass of milk. Did I mention how much I loved that woman?

Later that afternoon, after all of the congratulations and phone calls, and, well, dealing with Alice, I finally found some time to myself. Alice had been like a ball of fire today, jumping from one idea to the next. Just listening to her exhausted me. Sometimes, I wondered what I was getting myself into working with her.

I poured myself a celebratory glass of wine and settled into the confines of my comfy sofa. My dog, Bubba, hopped up and nestled in beside me, as I took my first sip. I glanced at the coffee table, which was littered with papers and sketches Alice had left earlier. Sometimes her artistic genius presented itself as chaos and disarray, but there was a method to her madness. My "Type A" simply needed to mesh with her "Type B."

As I perused the table, one particular sketch caught my attention and caused my lips to turn upward into a smile. It was one that Alice had hastily drawn of the sign we wanted to hang atop our building, declaring the name of our floral shop-slash-event planning services.

Adorned with flowers and sashes was the name, "_Thirteen Daisies_."

_**A/N: I hope I can keep everyone's attention. So, no direct mention of Edward in the present yet. Don't worry. He won't hide for very long. Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO.**_

_**Oh, and -yes-little Bella wears chucks with her dresses just like Kristen...**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
Thanks to Dolly for cleaning up my messes. She is better than roller skating with Edward Cullen.**_

_**C**__**hapter Two - Invites**_

_I closed my eyes and realized there was no need to make a wish before I blew out the twelve candles which adorned my birthday cake. Edward Cullen had already arrived at my party. He was there with Marcus, of course. Mom had said I was too young to invite boys to my birthday party, but that she would allow Edward to come with Marcus._

"_You can invite boys next year," she told me, "when you turn thirteen."_

_I didn't want "boys." I only wanted Edward. _

_Boys were weird. Edward was…well, he was weird, too, I supposed, but he paid attention to me, and he talked to me, and he called me "Daisy Mae."_

_Taking a deep breath, I made a different wish. I wished that Edward Cullen would be my boyfriend someday. Not right now, because I was not old enough to go on real dates and kiss boys. Mom said I was not allowed to hold hands with boys until I was thirteen, and I really wanted to hold Edward's hand._

_The candles went out in one giant exhale; all twelve of them, and applause erupted all around me. Next year, I would have to blow out thirteen. Then, I could go hold Edward's hand._

_Everyone clapped and cheered around the table at the skating rink. Alice was on one side of me and my mom on the other, while daddy took pictures. They all melted away from me, as I searched the area to find Marcus and Edward. _

_I was devastated when my eyes eventually found them. They were on the other side of the rink, talking to two girls from their grade. I could see Edward's ruddy brown mop and Marcus's familiar dark brown waves. It was our similarity in hair and eyes that caused most people to believe we were siblings and not just cousins._

"_What's the matter, Bella?" mom asked as she plucked the candles from the cake and placed them in a napkin._

"_Nothing, can I go skate now?"_

"_Sure, baby. I'll cut the cake."_

_Alice and I took off on our roller skates toward the rink, passing the boys as we went. I made my best pouty face as I whizzed by. I knew how to reel Edward in, hook, line and sinker. He was a sucker for a pouty Daisy._

"_Daisy!" he shouted, as I transitioned smoothly into the rink from the carpeted floor. After all, I was a pretty expert roller skater._

"_Daisy!" Alice mimicked him, and we both giggled, looking behind us as Edward attempted to skate towards us. He wasn't having much luck at first, but then, once he got started, he was good. He was very good, and fast. Edward was good at everything. He caught up in no time and skated right past us, turning at the last second right in front of me._

"_Daisy Mae," he reached behind me and pulled my ponytail, "Why do you look so sad on your birthday?"_

"_I'm not sad," I retorted with a roll of my eyes. Not now, anyway_

"_I'll race ya," he raised his eyebrows at me. That little spark appeared in them. It was a spark I was now well accustomed to. It was that same sparkle that materialized every time Edward was up to no good, which was quite often._

_I folded my arms at first, rolling my eyes and looking to Alice for silent advice._

"_Cullen," she quipped, "you'll be eating her dust."_

_And before he had a chance to respond, I took off, gliding as fast as my pom-pom toting skates would take me. The wind was in my face, and my whole body felt light. Before long, I could feel him gaining on me, taunting me from behind._

_However, that particular effect Edward Cullen had on me took over very quickly. I began to lose my lead and, before I knew it, he was right next to me, smiling like a big goon. Just as he got a little ahead of me, he reached back and grabbed my hand, pulling me with him at an increasingly fast pace._

"_No!" I shrieked, giggling at the same time. _

_Everything happened in slow motion. It was just like in the movies. This weird feeling in my stomach appeared suddenly. It grew and grew in intensity, as his hand reached for mine. The pinnacle of hit me as our hands finally touched, but there was no time to react. Edward was pulling me with him, as onlookers who were standing still buzzed by us. _

_For a few seconds, I experienced what was quite possibly the greatest moment of my life. I screamed and giggled, breathing heavily as it all finally caught up to me, and I was no longer capable of keeping his pace._

_And that was when I fell._

_Edward was still clinging tightly to me, my left hand in his right. My skates became tangled in one another, and I felt my little body fly up, pulling Edward back down with me, as I belly-flopped onto the hard floor, smacking my chin in the process. After all, breaking the fall with my hands would have meant I would have had to let go of Edward, and I was never letting go of Edward._

_He tried to save me. He did, but he was too late, and the momentum of my tumble was too much for him. He fell backwards and landed right next to me. _

_And there we lay. Edward, on his back, and me, on my tummy, still hand in hand. He'd never let go. He never let go. He never let go._

"_You should've let go," I told him, and that was when the tears began to fall. I fought them. I honestly did, but my body was reacting to the accident, and I had no control over it. I willed them to stop, not wanting anyone to see me cry at my very own birthday party._

"_I'd never let you go, Daisy."_

_Please don't._

_I smiled through my tears._

"_If I didn't know better, I'd say you're falling for me." _

_He sniggered from the ground next to me._

_My heart stopped. Did he know? I didn't want him to know yet._

"_Falling for me," he repeated and gestured toward the floor. "Get it?"_

_I finally figured out the joke and began giggling once again. I looked up to find several people standing over me, including a very concerned-looking Alice. _

"_Bella!" my dad's voice came from a distance, as he pushed his way through the crowd. "You're bleeding."_

_I was?_

_I touched the burning sensation that was coming from my chin, and then made the mistake of looking at my fingers. At the sight of the red liquid oozing from my chin, I felt myself slipping, and then everything went black._

_While I was out, I dreamed of cakes and candles, birthday wishes and holding Edward Cullen's hand…_

I sifted through my closet once more before deciding on a black shift dress to wear with my new shoes I'd purchased just for this occasion. Alice and I were holding the grand opening of "13 Daisies" today, and I wanted to look my best.

It was the week before Easter, and we had decided to have our official grand opening. With the Easter holiday, Mother's Day and graduations coming up, we figure the timing would be perfect. We needed to show everyone what we were capable of producing. Our entire families were coming, along with many of our friends from high school and college.

Alice and I, along with our mothers, had worked until late last night getting the shop ready for our big day. The business was already doing well, and we had only been open for a few weeks. We'd even booked a wedding. Sure, it was Alice's cousin, but it was a start.

My roommate from college, Rosalie, was already here and staying with me. Rose knew a lot about my family and friends. She had been here many times before. She knew all about…_him._

"So, Marcus is coming?" Rose inquired, while she helped me sweep my hair up off of my shoulders.

"He replied he was coming, but I haven't heard from him for a few weeks." I secured a loose brown tendril with a bobby pin.

"Is he bringing any _friends_?"

Turning around to face her slowly, I conjured my best bitch face, warning her to not even start. In return, Rose mustered her best apologetic smile. All was forgiven, for now.

"Well, you look beautiful, Bella. Just like a business owner should."

I stuck my tongue out at her and crossed my eyes, causing her to laugh.

"It doesn't matter what you do to try to make yourself ugly, you're still a hottie."

.

.

The daisies were grouped by color in buckets across the front of the store, gerbera daisies mainly, but my old stand-by favorites, shastas, were on display as well. As a way to draw customers in, we were offering specials today. The first fifty customers would be given a rose, and we were handing out coupons for discounted bouquets. Alice and I were hoping it would help with the sales for Easter.

The "13 Daisies" sign that had been created identically to Alice's design hung proudly above the store front. As much as I loved the name, and all that it meant to me, it was still hard to look at. A small tear stung at the edge of my left eye, as I contemplated the sentiment behind it. No one knew the story, with the exception of Alice and Rose, and _him._

I quickly shook the thoughts from my head, before anyone could see me like this. Perhaps I should have reconsidered the name. Would it always remind me, or would it somehow allow for me to get over things? Only time would tell.

"Bella," Aunt Lizzie's voice sang to me. I turned to find her and my Uncle Tony walking up the street towards me. My uncle pulled me in for a tight embrace. He looked so much like my father. They looked more and more alike the older they both became. Not surprising after all, since they were only one year apart.

"The store looks great, Bells."

Aunt Lizzie grabbed me away from him. "Oh, Bella, we're so excited for you…and Marcus sends his love and well wishes."

"He's not coming?"

"Um…_no, _didn't he call you?"

"No."

"He hasn't been feeling well. He's had this _headache_. I don't know. He has an appointment later in the week. I keep telling him he just needs a good woman," Aunt Lizzie giggled as she rubbed up and down my arms.

Marcus was sick? Marcus never got sick. Even as kids, I was always the one with the flu, the sinus infections and strep throat. I'd even gotten mono that one time, after the two of us had shared a carton of ice cream, and he'd never gotten sick.

I couldn't help but think this had something to do with _him._ Rehab again, possibly. Maybe it was even worse. Maybe it was jail this time. Marcus probably needed to stay home today and work on his case.

I didn't need this bullshit. Not today. There was no way I was going to let _him_ ruin this day for me. He had already ruined so many others.

Sixteen-year-old Bella would have cried. Heck, twenty-year-old Bella probably would have cried, but not twenty-four-year-old Bella. No way. Not today. Not ever again.

.

.

I held the door open for my aunt and uncle, entering the shop after them. Aunt Lizzie was so excited, and it made my day to see her like this. She missed her boys, and I knew that being around me made her feel close to them.

The day flew by, everything going as planned, if not better. My mother handed out her famous chocolate chip cupcakes. Being the kindergarten teacher at Forks Elementary School for twenty-five years allowed for her to know _everyone._ Luckily for me and Alice, they were showing up in droves to see the store.

Thanks to Renee Swan, we booked two more events, and even took some orders for the upcoming Forks High School prom. Arranging flowers for that event would surely bring back memories for me.

Everyone had now cleared out of the store, even our mothers. The last rose and cupcake had been handed out hours ago. It was nearing five o'clock, and I was just about to cash out the register, when Alice pinched the back of my arm hard, to the point it stung. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed.

"Ouch!" I pulled away from her. "What was that for?"

She nodded her head towards the front door. "Do you see who it is?" she said without moving her mouth. The shop was dead silent, since I had just turned the music off for the day.

Trying to not show any emotion, I stared directly at him, nodding in recognition.

It was Jasper Cullen.

_**A/N: Sorry I am a few days late with the update. I'm trying to back on my Friday/Saturday update schedule. I hope no one is mad at me :(**_

_**So, no Edward yet, but we do have an appearance by Jasper. We must be getting closer...  
Thanks to all of you for your love and support of this story so far. You keep me writing. Remember, reviews are love. Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO. See you next week!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
Thanks to the amazing Dolly for cleaning up my messes. She is better than hangin' in the tree house with Edward.**_

_**Chapter Three-**_

_I walked quickly, as fast as my Converse would carry me, down the path to the treehouse. I'd wanted to get there sooner to hang out with Marcus, Edward and Jasper, but I had piano lessons after school. God, how I hated piano lessons! Mrs. Michael's house always smelled liked boiled cabbage. Yuck._

_It was mid-fall, and most of the leaves had fallen from the trees, which made a crunching sound as I walked. The air was cold and crisp, but it didn't stop me, as I trudged down the path. There were no signs of wildlife, as the sun slowly dropped behind the trees. The thirteen daisies were long gone now, but I knew where I was going, so I no longer needed their guidance._

_My eyes finally made contact with the treehouse, only to find the three boys climbing down. No! I was too late. No. Please stay. I hadn't even gotten to talk to Edward. I had turned thirteen over a month ago. I was allowed to hold Edward's hand now, but he still hadn't tried. I'd seen him holding Jessica Stanley's hand at the Forks football game a couple of weeks ago. Why didn't he want to hold mine?_

_I thought if we could hang out in the treehouse more, he might change his mind. Time was not on my side. Soon, very soon, it would be too cold to come out here. I wasn't sure if the Cullen boys would come here after school anymore._

"_We're heading back to the house, Bella," Marcus called to me. I watched the three of them, as they threw their cigarettes to the ground and stomped them out with their shoes._

_I crossed my arms and huffed. Stupid piano lessons._

"_Aw, don't get like that, Daisy Mae," Edward taunted as he approached me, messing up my hair. "I'll go back up with you, if you want."_

_A huge smile formed on my face, and I nodded at him. Jasper made a gagging noise, while Marcus shot Edward a dirty look._

"_What?" Edward put his hands up in question, putting on his most innocent face._

"_You know what. She's thirteen, Cullen. No cigarettes."_

_Edward smirked and put two fingers up, "Scouts honor, Swan." _

_Marcus and Jasper kept walking, as Edward and I stood still. "Bella, not too late, it's getting dark. Your mom will want to know where you are."_

_Darn! That was right. My mom was sitting in the kitchen with Aunt Lizzie having tea, waiting for me. _

"_Tell her ten minutes, Marcus," I replied anxiously._

"_Ten minutes," he warned, and then he was gone._

"_Well, we'd better make every minute count then, Daisy."_

_I nodded in agreement, and we walked briskly to the treehouse. Edward let me climb up first, and I felt funny knowing he was right behind me on the ladder. I was in seventh grade now, and I knew all about boys. I had even had my first kiss with Mike Newton behind the bleachers at the football game. I pretended it was Edward, but Mike had braces, so it wasn't quite the same._

_Edward was in high school now, and I wasn't stupid. He had kissed plenty of girls. I'd even overheard Marcus talking about some girl, maybe Jessica, giving him a blowjob. They thought I didn't know what that was, but I did. _

_Edward let me have the beanbag chair, and he sat on the floor next to me. Once we were settled in, I realized that we had nothing to talk about, and I wondered how many of the ten minutes of time were left._

_Edward lit a cigarette. Maybe this was the true reason he wanted to come back up here. It had nothing to do with me. He just needed one last drag before he left._

"_Why do you smoke those things?"_

"_They make me feel good."_

_I scrunched up my nose in confusion. I couldn't comprehend what he was saying._

"_Well, they make your breath stink, and your teeth yellow, and they make this tar-like stuff in your l-"_

"_Daisy, you talk too much."_

_I giggled, and Edward broke a smile at me. "I like you better when you're laughing."_

…_and my heart did that flutter thing, where I lost my breath and felt my face flush._

"_I hear you're going steady with Mike Newton," Edward said coolly before he took another puff, looking away from me._

"_Going steady?" I repeated his words. "Who uses that phrase?"_

"_He'd better not do anything to you, Daisy."_

_Why? I could say the same about Jessica Stanley, but I kept my mouth shut. I stared at my Converse, which had leaves stuck to them. Not knowing what else to do or say, I began plucking the damp leaves from my shoes._

"_You sure you don't want a smoke?"_

_I shook my head and then bit down on my lower lip._

"_That's good. You shouldn't smoke. It gives you bad breath…and yellow teeth…and…and…"_

"…_and black tar in your lungs," I interrupted him like he had done to me earlier. He smirked at me._

"_Why did you move here? From Chicago, I mean." I'd always wanted to ask him and had never gotten up the nerve. So, I figured now was as good a time as any._

"_A lawsuit," he replied matter-of-factly. I didn't understand what he meant, and he must have caught on because he clarified. "My dad got sued, because they claimed he did something wrong at the hospital. Bottom line: He sucks as a doctor." With that, he threw his now-finished cigarette out the small treehouse window._

"_I'm sorry," I replied sheepishly._

"_Don't be." Suddenly, he stood up carefully in the confined area. "I should probably walk you back."_

_Nodding in acquiescence, I followed him back down the ladder. It was nearly dark, and it had become very cold. I tried hard to keep pace with Edward, but his legs were much longer than mine._

"_Come on, Daisy." He reached back for my hand, and I died a little inside. I felt that same feeling I had felt at my birthday party last year, as his hand neared mine. Edward smiled at me once our hands were perfectly wrapped around each other's. I couldn't control the blush that spread across my face. _

_We continued this way, up the path and into the backyard of my aunt and uncle's house, where he quickly let go._

"_I'm serious, too, Daisy," his tone turned quite solemn. "Mike Newton, he touches you, and I'll kick his ass."_

Jasper appeared slightly awkward, as he entered the shop, and he should. After all, he had broken Alice's heart many years ago. I blamed _him_ for their break-up, too. I blamed _him_ for everything.

Jasper was only a year older than Alice and me, but he'd always felt even older than that. He used to hang around with the older kids, like his brother and Marcus. He was usually on the outside fringe of everything, the quiet Cullen brother, not a troublemaker like his older sibling. The last I'd heard, Jasper was in medical school.

It was only natural that Jasper and Alice would have hooked up eventually. Alice had always been with me, and Jasper had always been with his brother, and well, it had just happened.

"Hello, ladies," he began nervously. "I suppose congratulations are in order."

He wrung his hands together, exhibiting great unease and uncertainty. I concentrated on his hands. He resembled his brother so much. I had a difficult time looking into his eyes.

I was not sure if Alice was stunned silent, because for the first time in her life, it seemed as though she was unable find any words. I elbowed her in the ribs, practically knocking her over.

"Um…thank you. So what brings you in here?"

"I saw your picture in the paper, and I thought I'd come wish you both well. Is that okay?" he teased and laughed uneasily, as he moved closer to the counter. The room suddenly felt much smaller, as I was finally forced to look at his face.

Alice expressed her appreciation. I, on the other hand, couldn't find it in me to swallow my pride and respond to him. I simply plastered on a fake smile.

"I like the name, Bella," he gestured toward the sign out front. "My brother would, uh-"

It was all I needed to hear. With just one word, I lost all of my resolve and turned into the eternal thirteen-year-old I was always destined to be. "Your brother-"

"-doesn't know I'm here," Jasper interjected before I had a chance to finish. Disappointment hit me right in the gut. One would think I would have been used to the let-down by now. _I wasn't._

Alice looked at me with desperation on her face. She knew _he_ was my weakness, that I couldn't control myself when it came to _him_.

"Well, thanks for coming in and showing your support, Jasper, but we're just getting ready to close," she told him in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Oh, right, sorry," he replied ashamedly and began backing out of the store. "Well, good luck with everything."

I listened to the bell ring, as he opened the door to exit, waving his hand at us in goodbye, but not looking in our direction as he left.

Alice removed her hands from her hips and slammed them down on the counter. "Shit!" she looked up at me. "That was weird, right?"

I didn't even have to think about my response before it came rolling off of my tongue, "_Very weird._"

.

.

Easter Sunday had arrived. I stopped in the shop in the morning and put together a centerpiece for my mother's table. Holidays had become sort of sad as I became older. For the longest time, I couldn't seem to move up from the kids' table to the adult table, and now it was just the three of us-me, Renee and Charlie.

Sometimes, Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Tony would come, too, but they often went to Seattle to see Marcus and Tyler and his family. Being so busy with the shop, I forgot to even ask Renee if any of them were joining us this holiday.

We had just settled into our ham and baked pineapple, when I remembered.

"Is Aunt Lizzie or anyone coming today?"

My mother didn't look up from her plate, as she cut into her ham. "Uncle Tony called this morning. They're in Seattle with Marcus and Tyler."

Everything got quiet, _too quiet._ If my mother didn't have a comment to make, it meant she was hiding something. I looked at my father, who was staring at her.

"Tell her, Renee," Charlie said quietly before stabbing a piece of ham with his fork.

"Tell me what?"

"They're at University Hospital with Marcus, Bella," she murmured before looking from my father's face to her plate.

"What? Why?" I demanded a response.

She looked at my father again. "Marcus has had a headache for a few weeks."

"Right, he was going to the doctor. Aunt Lizzie told me."

"Bella, on Friday he started to lose his vision. They did an MRI. His brain is swelling."

"What?" I stood up and slammed my chair in. "Why hasn't anyone told me?"

"Bella, sit down," my father intervened this time. "They don't know what's going on yet. They took him by helicopter to University Hospital. Dr. Cullen helped him get the best care."

_He sucks as a doctor._

_He_ had been wrong about that, though. His dad was a wonderful doctor. I would know. Dr. Cullen had saved my father's life.

"Uncle Tony said he'd call when he knew anything. That's all we know."

"Can I call him?" I became frantic. "I need to talk to him."

"They said they'd call, Bella," my father said in a tone that told me to chill out. It was a voice I had learned very well growing up.

My mother explained further. "Aunt Lizzie said he's sleeping a lot. They gave him…_medication_. It makes him tired."

"What's wrong, though? Why is his brain swelling? That's not good, Mom. That can't be good."

"We know, honey, but it's Easter Sunday, so they won't do anything today. Maybe tomorrow we'll know something."

I had no other choice but to agree with what my parents were telling me. As much as I wanted to get in my car and drive right to Seattle, I had the shop now. It was my life. I wasn't the free and willing little girl who could go running whenever someone needed her anymore. I was a grownup now. I had responsibilities.

_Marcus would surely understand. _

I sat in silence for the rest of the meal. For some reason, a very distant but fond memory of Marcus filled my head. It kept me from worrying or even crying.

I had been seven years old at the time, and Marcus and I had been listening to Uncle Tony's old cassette player at Grandma Swan's house. Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" was playing. Marcus took my hand and pulled me down off the stool. He twirled me around and around, until I became dizzy with laughter. He sang to me as we danced, the lyrics meaning so much more than just what my seven-year-old self could have possibly understood then.

"_She'll see I'm not so tough, just because I'm in love with an uptown girl. She's my uptown girl…"_

**_A/N: Well, we're getting somewhere now, aren't we? Maybe? Just a little? Thanks to everyone for loving this story. A lot of you were worried this might get a little angsty. It might be about 2% angst, roughly. Then, lots and lots of fluff...and definitely smut. It's my favorite thing to write after all..._**

**_Thanks for reading. Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO._**


	5. Chapter 5

_**DIsclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
MEGA thanks to Dolly for cleaning up my messes and for suggesting this little baby should actually be published. She's better than staying up late with Edward.**_

_**CHAPTER FOUR**_

"_Go ahead, Bella. Put the almond extract in."_

_I listened very carefully to Esme Cullen and did as she instructed me to. After all, she assured me these were Edward's favorite: raspberry-filled almond cookies. They sounded divine to me._

_Christmas was only two short weeks away, and my parents had gone shopping with Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Tony for the weekend. Tyler was still at college, but he would be home in a few days. He was even bringing a new girlfriend home with him._

_Dr. and Mrs. Cullen graciously volunteered to let me and Marcus stay at their house. Our parents had grown very close recently, the three couples going for dinner often or spending evenings at one another's house. _

_I loved every minute of it, of course. I was too young to be left alone at night, so I would tag along with the adults and pray for an Edward sighting or experience. But nine times out of ten, Edward was busy doing "high school" things. I waited impatiently for my eighth grade year to end, so that I could finally experience those things for myself._

_Tonight was one of those nights, though. No Edward in sight. In fact, he and Marcus were long gone before I had even arrived here. I still held out hope, though. I was ecstatic to simply know I would be sleeping under the same roof as Edward tonight. Maybe I'd see him before he went to bed. Maybe he'd let me bring my sleeping bag into his room._

"_Mix that good, and then we'll spoon it onto the cookie sheets," Esme's kind eyes watched me. She was such a beautiful woman. There was no denying whom Edward had inherited his green eyes from. I looked up to meet her gaze, and she smiled warmly. "You're a great little baker, Bella."_

_I didn't hear him come in, because the mixer was too loud, but Esme broke her gaze with me, as her eyes grew serious, and I knew he was there._

"_Daisy Mae! You're making a mess!"_

_Just hearing his voice made me smile, but I did so cautiously, because I could tell Esme was not as happy to see Edward as I was. I turned to see him standing there, Marcus and Jasper in tow. Their faces were beet-red from the cold, which made me wonder where they had been and what they had been doing._

"_Edward, I need to see you in the dining room."_

_He ran his fingers through his brown waves, as he often did when he was nervous or unsure. Jasper smirked, as he proceeded into the kitchen and sniffed around our mess._

"_Don't lick the beaters without me, Daisy," Edward commanded me before following Esme out of the room._

_I, oh-so-badly, wanted to hear what the two Cullen's were saying, and I would have spied, too, if Jasper and Marcus hadn't been there._

"_Busted," Jasper sniggered once they left the kitchen._

"_What's he busted for?" I asked, as I took a spatula to the sides of the mixing bowl._

"_Don't worry about it, Bella," Marcus interrupted before Jasper answered._

_I kept quiet. I never questioned Marcus._

"_Oh, it figures you're making the idiot's favorite cookies, Daisy," Jasper teased me, and I turned bright red. I didn't like when anyone but Edward called me Daisy. "I see no one around here made my favorite cookies."_

"_Well, which kind is your favorite?"_

"_Chocolate chip," Jasper announced proudly._

"_I think they're next on our list."_

_Just then, there was a loud outburst from the other room, yelling and profanities. I heard her yell something about "…why we left Chicago." Esme returned first. Then, Edward stomped from the dining room, through the kitchen and up the stairs without another word._

_I put my head down, pretending to stir the cookie dough, even though it was perfectly mixed already._

"_Don't talk to him," she warned Jasper and Marcus. "He's grounded the rest of this weekend, and when your father gets home, Lord knows how much longer he'll ground him," she pointed a wooded spoon at Jasper, "And if you try the same nonsense as your brother, you're next, so don't even think about it."_

_Jasper put his hands up in a defensive motion. "You know I don't do that stuff, Mom."_

"_You'd better not. Your father and I won't tolerate it."_

_Hours later, I lay wide awake in the wee hours of the morning in the Cullen's guestroom. The boys, with the exception of Edward, had gone out and were yet to come in. There had been no sign of Edward since he had stomped up the stairs. I glanced over at the digital alarm clock on the nightstand. The red numbers screamed at me, 12:30am._

"_Daisy," a whispered voice carried into my room, startling me. I jumped and turned over, lacking any coordination whatsoever. I was such as spaz._

_There, in the doorway, illuminated by a small hallway lamp, was Edward._

"_Are you awake?" he asked me, speaking a little louder._

_I sat up completely, forgetting that I was only dressed in a tiny camisole and pajama pants. Edward stared a little longer than he should have._

"_Shit. You're going to need a sweatshirt. Do you have one?"_

_I shook my head no, wondering what on earth he was talking about._

"_Just…shit…stay quiet. I'll go get you one."_

_I waited for what seemed like an eternity, but it was probably only a matter of seconds, until Edward returned with one of his hoodies. He threw it at me unceremoniously. As soon as I caught it, I was engulfed in "Eau to Edward." I quickly pulled the shirt over my head and arms and took a big whiff. I loved Edward's smell._

"_Come on, Daisy. Put your shoes on. I need a cigarette, and I need some company."_

_He led me to the back patio and quietly slid the French door open to let us out. The cold hit me like a brick wall, and I shuddered, quickly pulling my arms up and inside the sleeves of his sweatshirt._

"_Fuck. It's cold out here. Oops. Sorry. Excuse my language, Daisy."_

_In the lights of the patio, I could see him more clearly now. He was much more dressed than I was-jeans, boots and a warm coat. I looked down at my flannel polka-dot pajama pants. They weren't going to cut it out here._

"_I'll get you a blanket," he chimed in, as though he was reading my mind at that very moment._

_We settled in on the patio chairs. Me, wrapped up like a burrito in the blanket, and Edward, choking down cigarettes like they were going out of style._

"_So, are you going to tell me?" I finally asked after Edward lit his second cigarette._

"_Tell you what?"_

"_Why you're grounded."_

"_I'd rather not talk about it, Daisy. It's fucked up, anyway."_

_Okay, so he was going to play the secret game. I'd find out sooner or later, I would have just rather heard it from him._

_We sat in silence for a long time. The fleece blanket wrapped around me eventually became too warm, and I began to heat up and sweat. I released it a little from my body to expose some skin. It wasn't much, just a little neck and collarbone. Edward's lips parted, as he watched me fuss with the blanket and the sweatshirt._

"_You know you don't look your age, Daisy." I stared at him in confusion, at a loss for words, as usual. "I'm serious. I see the way guys look at you." He paused before he added, "Mike Newton."_

_I laughed him off. We were we back on this again? Mike and I hadn't gotten past first base, mainly because I had refused. I wasn't ready for any of that yet. Not unless it was with Edward._

"_I have a feeling I'm going to be kicking a lot of guys' asses when you come to the high school next year."_

"_No," I shook my head at him. It was all I could muster this late at night._

"_Yes." He lit another cigarette. "I wish I could be more like Marcus, you know? He's so smart. His IQ is like 'off the charts' or something. He's so smart about everything, even sports. He's smart about how he handles you and all of your admirers."_

"_How's that?"_

_Edward laughed, "He ignores them, and then he does something clever and conniving later on, and they don't even realize it."_

_He did?_

"_Not me, though. I go all 'caveman' on them."_

_You did?_

"_I keep telling him he's going to be president someday or something."_

_We'd always said that about Marcus. My mom swore she'd be "First Aunt" someday._

"_You're smart like your cousin, too. Aren't ya, Daisy?"_

"_I'm not that smart."_

"_Yeah, you are." He broke eye contact with me for one moment. I watched his mouth, as his lips delicately wrapped around the cigarette. "You do have one up on him, though, you know that?"_

_He looked back up at me, and my heart did that flutter thing, while my stomach flipped around. Not able to find words, I finally simply shook my head no. I was positive I had never been "one-up" on Marcus in my entire life._

"_You're smart, and you're beautiful."_

Things were quiet in the shop the day after Easter. Alice and I worked together on new displays in the gift area. Well, I spent time making displays, and then Alice would come over and rearrange everything to her liking. That was how we worked "together."

Around twelve-thirty, Alice walked up the street to pick up some sandwiches for lunch, while I repeatedly checked my phone to see if anyone had called to fill me in on Marcus. _Nothing._

I'd had a hard time sleeping last night, thinking about him. So many memories of our childhood filled my head. Some were happy. Some were sad, but all were meaningful. I began to have remorse for not keeping in touch with him more over the past few years. I had cut some ties with Marcus because every time I'd see him, there would be some reminder of Edward.

I shuddered at the thought of his name. My heart couldn't take it.

"Oh, my God!" Alice returned with a deli bag in her hand and a high pitch in her voice. "You're never going to believe who was in the deli!"

I rolled my eyes. With Alice, it could have been any number of people. She laid the sandwiches on the wooden countertop and flitted behind it.

"Do I even want to know?" I scratched my head.

"Probably not, but I'm going to tell you, anyway." She paused for dramatics. "Jasper Cullen!" she said each of his names with a palm-swat on the counter for emphasis, and then she continued in her shrieking voice, "What, is he stalking me now or something?"

I shook my head at her in an annoyed manner. Alice could win an Oscar.

"Did you talk to him?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"Will you be mad if I say yes?"

"No."

"Then, yes, we talked…and I maybe gave him my number."

"Alice!" I scolded. He had broken her heart. I'd thought she hated him.

"I know. _I know_. Don't be mad," she covered her face. "He's just so hot…and he's going to be a doctor…and he has a cock the size of a h-"

"Alice!"

I wanted her to stop, not because I didn't want to hear about Jasper's um…_cock_, but because it brought back memories of his equally well-endowed brother. I still remembered the first time we…_No, Bella, get it out of your head! _ Bella. _Bella. Bella?_

"Bella, where did you go just now?"

"No place good," I told her.

"Why don't I believe you?"

I quirked an eyebrow at her, "So, what are you going to do if he calls you?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, I'm going to let it go to voicemail at least once."

"And?"

"_And_ maybe twice?"

"_And?_"

"And then call him back?"

I laughed at her. She was so amazingly frustrating, and now, thanks to her, I wouldn't sleep again tonight due to thoughts of Edward's penis.

Towards the end of the day, I could no longer take the suspense, and I decided to try calling my mom. I became a bit worried, when she told me she still hadn't heard anything. I told her I was going to call Aunt Lizzie myself, but she quickly talked me out of it. If there was something serious, they might not want to be bothered.

However, later that night, I received my phone call.

I tossed and turned, sleep evading me. When I finally decided to get some sleep around eleven o'clock, we still hadn't heard anything about Marcus. Mom had promised to call me as soon as she did, even if it was in the middle of the night. I stared at my phone on the nightstand.

I didn't know what time I ultimately fell asleep, but I had the strangest dream; one that woke me right up. Esme Cullen had baked me her famous raspberry-almond cookies, and I was eating them with Rosalie. She kept eating cookie after cookie, eventually admitting to me that she was pregnant.

Her announcement shocked me right out of my sleep. I had a notion to call her right at that moment, and then I decided against it, when I looked at the clock and saw it was only just after two o'clock in the morning.

Realization hit me, and I quickly reached for my phone. There were no missed calls or messages. Still nothing.

I tossed and turned some more, but I couldn't shake the urge I had for those stupid raspberry-almond cookies. I gave in to the urge, logging on to my computer and doing a search for the recipe.

Esme and I had made them many times throughout my relationship with Edward, but I had never gotten the recipe from her. I scrolled through a couple of different options before finding a recipe which seemed vaguely familiar. I printed it, before throwing on some jeans and a hoodie and heading to the twenty-four hour grocery store.

By 3:30am, I was tiredly placing perfectly-shaped cookies from the cookie sheet onto the cooling rack. I had two more to transfer, when my phone began ringing from the kitchen counter, scaring me half to death.

I looked at the caller ID, but I didn't have to. I knew who it would be.

"Bella," my mother's voice was frantic. Panic filled my ears, consumed my body, and then flooded the entire room. "They're taking Marcus in for emergency surgery. Dad and I are leaving for Seattle in an hour."

The panic intensified. I trembled slightly, but then I pulled myself together.

"I'm coming with you."

**A/N: So, we've moved on and are no longer omitting his name. Is someone softening to the idea of him slightly? Next chapter, we will finally meet "Himward" as Granma Dee called him. I promise. Thanks to everyone sticking with me. Reviews are love. Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO.**


	6. Chapter 6

_***Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight  
Thanks to Dolly for getting this done superduper fast. She's better than waking up to Edward's face...**_

_**Sorry this is so late.**_

_**Chapter Five-Diagnosis**_

_This was it, the last day of my eighth grade school year. Alice and I were going to celebrate tonight, and, if we were lucky, we might even get to see the boys later. Then again, they probably had their own parties to attend._

_Alice and I planned on eating hot fudge sundaes and drinking soda's until our bellies hurt, staying up all night and discussing our big plans for the summer. They mainly consisted of sleeping in and sneaking up into the treehouse._

_Aunt Lizzie brought us back to her house after school. My mother promised to take us out for dinner to celebrate the end of our junior high school careers. My father was working a double at the police station tonight. He was trying to save some extra money so that we could go on vacation this summer. Charlie Swan always worked too hard. His job as a patrolman was stressful. Sometimes, I worried about him._

"_Don't come home in a pine box," my mother told him every morning, before she kissed him goodbye and sent him on his way to the station. Her job as a kindergarten teacher in a neighboring school district wasn't any less stressful, but a lot less dangerous. The only danger she faced was the possibility of some finger paint on a new dress._

_It was a hot day for June in Forks, Washington. The thermometer in Aunt Lizzie's car read eighty-nine degrees. Our small un-air conditioned school had been like a sauna. I sat on the living room floor of my aunt and uncle's house, pulling my hair off of my sweaty neck and sliding it into a high ponytail. The air hit the back of my neck and cooled it immediately._

_Alice commented that she was ready for ice cream sundaes even before dinner, and I agreed with her. Just then, there was a raucous coming from the kitchen, as Marcus entered the room with Edward and Jasper in tow._

_Edward immediately came over and pulled on my ponytail. "Daisy Mae, are you ready for summer?"_

_I whipped my head around in his direction, nodding and smirking. Alice cleared her throat from behind me. She realized I turned into a pile of mush whenever he was around. With his hands in his pockets, Jasper made a knowing glance in his brother's direction._

"_Bella, honey," my Aunt Lizzie stood in the doorway, "Your mom just called. Charlie got sick at work today, and he's going to the hospital. I'm going to meet them there. She wants me to take you to the Cullen's. Okay?"_

_What?_

"_What's wrong with him?" I stood up quickly. Edward tensed next to me._

"_I don't know, honey, but we need to go. Now."_

_Alice and I grabbed our bags, and the boys joined us at the door. Aunt Lizzie remained calm, as she drove us to Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's house, so I tried to maintain the same level of composure. Edward sat next to me in the back of the SUV. He played with my ponytail subtly, and it cooled my nerves ever so slightly._

_Minutes ticked by at the Cullen's house, but it felt like hours. The boys horsed around, but I could sense Edward and Marcus were as uneasy as I was. Alice was calling every five minutes, but I had the same information every single time. Nothing._

_Finally, the house phone rang, and Esme raced to answer it. Marcus followed her into the kitchen. I, on the other hand, was frozen. My ears were on high alert, however, listening to every word Esme said, even if they were only one at a time._

"_Okay…yes…okay…sure…yes," I could hear her say, then finally, more words were strung together, "…and how's Renee?...What should I tell Isabella?...Does she want her there?...How long will the surgery be?"_

_I felt a rush to my stomach, right before it dropped. My heart began pounding. I could feel it in my ears. I attempted to stand, and that was when I felt the blood drain from my head. Just as I began to feel myself fall, everything suddenly went black. Edward's voice was the last thing I heard._

"_Daisy!"_

_People talked about your life passing before you, but I never could understand what they meant. I did now, but I thought it only happened when you were near death. Was I dying? No. I had only fainted, right? Surely I wasn't dead. I could hear Edward's voice in the background of my blackness._

"…_she just went down…I caught her before…Daisy…cold water…Daisy…"_

_My eyes began fluttering, and I could finally feel my body._

"_Daisy? Wake up. Daisy?"_

_I blinked as Edward came into focus, standing over me, his hands gentle on my face. My out-of-focus eyes finally honed in on face. If I hadn't already passed out, I might have lost my breath at the sight of him so close to me. A few seconds passed, before I realized why I had fainted in the first place._

"_My dad…I-I-"_

"_Isabella, are you okay? You scared us to death," Esme appeared into my line of vision from behind Edward's handsome face._

_I shook my head. I wasn't sure of the answer to the question._

"_Let me get you some juice. Edward, keep her awake."_

_I didn't have the energy to argue._

"_Daisy," Edward smiled at me, "You scared the shit out of me."_

_I attempted to sit up. "My dad, Edward, my dad…"_

_Edward gently held me down and shook his head at me._

"_Bella, drink some juice, and then we'll fill you in," Marcus's voice from the other side of the room startled me._

"_Charlie had a heart attack," Edward chimed in, and Marcus sighed loudly, obviously mad Edward had spilled the beans. It didn't deter him. "My dad is performing his bypass surgery right now."_

_The enormity of his words hit me all at once. His dad? It hadn't been that long since Edward had told me that his dad "sucked" as a doctor. He had been sued by someone. Would he let my father die? Tears pricked my eyes. Edward picked up on what I was thinking immediately._

"_Daisy, no," he touched my face delicately with his fingers, "He's gonna be fine. My dad is an experienced cardiologist. I know what I told you, but I was just mad when I said it. Charlie's fine. It's gonna be okay."_

_It was gonna be okay…_

I packed furiously, throwing things at my suitcase and missing most of the time. My hands shook, and my heart pounded in my chest. The news that had followed my mother's phone call had rocked us to the core.

"They found a tumor," she said through tears. _A tumor._ Surely this wasn't really happening. He was so young. Dr. Cullen had found it. Otherwise, he would have waited weeks for an appointment, but Dr. Cullen had gotten him seen immediately by an expert at the University of Seattle. He had been there with Marcus to read the CAT scan. This was really happening.

Thank God for connections.

The three-hour-long car ride from Forks to Seattle was excruciatingly slow and painful. I felt like a small, fearful child riding in the back of my parents' Buick. I couldn't remember the last time I had ridden in the back seat of one of their cars…high school, perhaps.

About two hours into our trip, I decided it was late enough in the morning to call Alice and make her aware of the situation. Apparently, I was five minutes too late.

"I know," she told me, "Jasper just called me."

"What?"

"Well, he called last night, but not about that."

"Then, what?" My curiosity had certainly gotten the best of me, especially when it came to the Cullen's.

"Just…stuff," she replied sheepishly, her voice laced with guilt, "but just now, he told me everything that's going on with Marcus, so you don't need to re-hash it. He told me you were headed there, to Seattle I mean."

"He knows?" Evidently, Aunt Lizzie had spoken to Esme.

"Um…yeah."

"Does anyone else know?"

"About you…going to Seattle?"

"_Yes._"

"People know."

"People?"

"Yes. People."

"You're not going to be specific, are you?"

"Do you want me to be specific?"

I sighed loudly into the phone, "I don't know. It depends on the answer."

"All of the Cullen's know. There, I answered, and I wasn't specific." Alice seemed quite proud of her response.

_All of the Cullen's._

That included _him._

No. No. No. This was about Marcus, and there was nothing or no one that was going to deter me from making this trip. I was going to see Marcus, and I didn't care who else was there. Was _he_ there?

"And all of the Cullen's are there?"

I heard my mother groan from the front seat, just as my father looked up and made eye contact with me in the rearview mirror.

"Well, some. Okay. How specific do you want me to be this time?"

"Very."

"Jasper is leaving sometime this morning, and Edward is flying in today from Chicago."

Chicago. Interesting.

_I'm getting out of this small town. I want to go back to Chicago._

The words he had spoken to me, breaking my heart into a million pieces so many years ago, echoed in my head. It was the day I had driven him to the rehab facility. I remembered it like it was yesterday. I recalled pulling up to the facility, Edward leaning in to kiss me, and me turning my head away. When I finally looked in his direction, he was already out of the car and inside the building. I'd never even said goodbye, never saw him again.

"Bella?"

"I'm still here."

"You weren't here a few seconds ago."

I glanced up to the front seat, where my parents sat in stone silence. There was a lot I wanted to talk to Alice about, but this was not the time or the place. My parents cringed at the sound of his name, just as I did. At the time, they despised him and had sadly cut off most ties with the Cullen's as a result.

Years and time apart had eased the dissention, but the thought of seeing him probably had both of their hackles up. They no longer harbored hatred and anger, but he had broken my heart, _and the drugs_, the drug use was unforgivable in their eyes. My father was a police officer after all.

"Listen, Alice, I'll call you later."

"The parentals are listening?"

"Correct."

"Call me when you know something about Marcus."

"I will."

"Have a safe trip, and good luck."

"Thank you.

"And Bella, I love you."

"Love you, too.

.

.

My father, even though he had been a competent police officer for many years, was not used to city driving, resulting in a little difficulty maneuvering around the city. Luckily, it was still early in the morning. Aunt Lizzie had called, instructing us on which parking garage to use and how to find our way to the surgery center.

Hundreds of questions raced around and around in my head as we rushed to find them. Where was Marcus right now? Was he awake? How was he feeling? Was he scared? Who was performing the surgery? Was Dr. Cullen going to be with him? Was it risky surgery? Would I ever see him again?

My mother and father were linked arm in arm, as I followed close behind them through the hospital wings, in route to the "C" elevator. Their undying love for one another and solidarity through this horrific experience made me even more emotional. Tears pricked my eyes and eventually spilled over, running down my cheeks. When we finally boarded the elevator, my mother noticed my tear-stained cheeks.

"Oh, Bella, honey, are you alright?" she squeezed my hand and smiled at me in pity.

"Yes, just emotional."

Uncle Tony was standing right outside of the elevator, when the door eventually opened. He and my father embraced, and it reminded me of how close they used to be, how my father's heart attack years earlier had brought them even closer together. My mother ran to Aunt Lizzie, just as I hugged my uncle.

"They just took him back to prep him for surgery," I heard my aunt tell my mother. "Dr. Cullen is going to stay with him."

"I don't know what we would've done without Carlisle," my uncle chimed in. "If it weren't for him, God only knows how long it would've been before he had a diagnosis. The surgeon is a colleague of his, the best in the northwest."

Dr. Cullen was once again saving the life of one of my family members. If Edward only had given him the respect he deserved…

Marcus had been in surgery for nearly four hours now. They predicted it would take four to six, so we were nearing the end of the wait. Jasper had made it here about an hour after we arrived. Things remained awkward between us, and I hated it. It shouldn't have had to be this way. He hugged me when he first arrived, and it felt oddly familiar, uncomfortable, but familiar. He hadn't spoken to me since.

Mom talked me into going with her to the cafeteria for some lunch. I wasn't hungry, but I thought the walk might do me some good. I had a lot of nervous energy to burn off. She talked me into a bagel, but I insisted we take our food back to the waiting room, not wanting to miss any news. I carried the caddy full of small coffees back to the waiting room to deliver to my family members.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Aunt Lizzie hugging a man who was much taller than her.

"He's in good hands, Mrs. Swan," he assured her, as they released their hold on one another. I recognized his voice before I even saw his face. There, in the waiting room with the rest of my family, was the only man I had ever loved.

_Edward._

Finally, for the first time all day, I felt at ease.

_**A/N: I am soooooooooo sorry this has taken so long. I never take so long to post but RL has been getting in the way of all my fun lately. I promise weekly updates from here on out. Also, I'm sorry if you reviewed last chapter and I didn't respond. I haven't been on fanfiction in a few weeks. As always, let me know what you think. Reviews are love. Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO. See you next week!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
As always, a HUGE thank you to Dolly for beta'ing this little baby for me. She's better than a first kiss with Edward.**_

_**THIRTEEN DAISIES**_

_**Chapter Six**_

"_Then kiss me."_

_Oh, the sweet, sweet words I'd longed to hear spilling from Edward Cullen's lips. They hung in the air, as I struggled to maintain normal breathing patterns. My body had gone into "overdrive" mode, as my brain tried to rationalize what to do._

_There was a slight breeze along the path, and it was an unusually sunny day in Forks, Washington. Marcus was still in the treehouse with his girlfriend, Kate. God only knew what they were doing. I didn't like Kate, mainly because Kate didn't like me. The older girls never liked when I infringed on their territory. On numerous occasions, I'd been told to stick with the boys in my own grade. "Jealous," Alice would always say, "They're just jealous of us, Bella."_

_They wouldn't be happy to find out I was in the woods with Edward Cullen right now, and he was asking me if I wanted to kiss him._

_His hair had grown out a little since school had let out. I loved when it was long like this. It hung to the side and in his eye just a bit. His eyes were piercing green in the sunlight, picking up the greenery surrounding us. His lips looked soft and inviting, as they parted and then closed again. Edward Cullen was a sex God. I, on the other hand, was a complete mess._

_I could feel the dampness of sweat on my forehead. My hair was kinking up in the humidity of the summer air. My belly continued to flip and flop and tie in knots. Not knowing what else to do, I licked my lips in anticipation of the potential kiss. I looked down at Edward's beautiful hands and braced myself for whatever was going to happen next._

"_Bella," Edward used a low whisper now, shifting his position so he was slightly closer, "do you want to kiss me?"_

_Yes! My mind screamed, but my lips were unable to form the word. My eyes remained cast down, and I couldn't find it in me to look up to the big green ones that were surely looking directly at me._

_Bella, you can do this! After all, I had kissed several boys by now. It was not as if Edward Cullen would be my first, but he would undoubtedly be the first who meant anything to me. _

_I wasn't sure where the nerve came from, but eventually, I was able to look up and easily find his eyes. I wanted to search for the answers there, but was surprised to find his searching for answers in mine instead. I guessed that was all I really needed._

_Was he being serious for a change? Yes. I believed he was. This wasn't about teasing or flirting. His expression was full of desire and need. It made my head spin._

_Glancing around, I checked to make sure Kate and Marcus weren't lingering somewhere, waiting for the right time to laugh and tell me this was all a big joke. I saw no sign of them, however._

_At long last, I smiled and then nodded in acquiescence to the lingering question. This caused Edward to smile back at me. He delicately brushed the hair out of my face and leaned in. My heart pounded in my chest so hard I could feel it in my ears. My eyes were closed, but my lips were parted in anticipation. Edward was everywhere. There were no more trees, no more crickets, no sky, no sun…no daisies. There was only him._

_His lips gently brushed against mine, and my heart plummeted into my stomach and then back up again, racing, pulsing. My head was light and my fingers tingly, as I welcomed his warm lips into mine in the sweetest of ways._

_._

_._

Two hours. It was the amount of time I had been sitting in this same chair across from _him,_ awaiting word on Marcus's surgery. I was still waiting for _him_ to speak to me. Something. _Anything._

Nothing.

Instead, he blatantly ignored me, couldn't even look in my direction. He sat, engrossed in conversation with his brother, in between periods of texting. Jasper would look over in my direction every once in a while, giving an apologetic look.

He hated me. Edward Cullen hated me, and for the first time in my life, I felt terrible about it.

I crossed my legs for the fourth time in the past minute, suddenly self-conscious about my attire. I had gotten dressed in such a hurry, throwing things into my suitcase so haphazardly, I had barely paid attention. At the time, I had only been worried about one person. Now, here in the waiting room, my mind couldn't help but wander elsewhere.

I didn't know why I had thought things would have gone any differently than this. For some reason, for one split second, I felt whole again in his presence. Seeing him at first had been easy. It had all been downhill from there.

It could have been the fact that my parents were taking turns scowling at him and internally saying, _"Shame, shame…Shame on you, Edward Cullen, for breaking our daughter's heart."_

I wanted to scream at my mother, who hadn't removed herself from my side since _he_ had arrived, _"Just let me have one minute with him! Just let me say 'hello' without you breathing down my neck!"_

But this day was not about me. It was not about Edward. We were here for Marcus. All of us. So I now wanted to scream, _"This isn't about him, Mom! Don't do this right now!"_

But I couldn't scream anything here in the tiny waiting room.

Just then, a nurse appeared in the doorway.

"Mr. and Mrs. Swan?" Everyone looked up simultaneously. "The doctors would like to speak with you."

Uncle Tony and Aunt Lizzie rushed over to the nurse and disappeared behind the door. Edward continued to stare in that direction, while I stared at him. He had aged somewhat. He looked more like a man now, a little bit of scruff on his face, and his hair was cut much shorter than I ever remembered it being. Edward was handsome, of course, resembling his father and his brother sitting in the chair next to him.

He looked better than the last time I had seen him, strung out and angry, hair overgrown and greasy. I could picture him sitting next to me in my beat-up Volkswagen, as I drove him to the rehab facility. He chain-smoked the whole way, even though he knew I hated when he smoked in my car. I ignored it because I loved him, and I just wanted to get him the hell there and be done with it. His eyes were red and his pupils dilated, as he sniffed and rubbed his nose, still high from his last coke binge before rehab.

I could feel my heart rate increasing and my breathing becoming more intense, as I remembered that morning, so clear and vibrant in my head, as though it had been yesterday.

I glanced down at my sneakers and shuffled my feet, thinking about all of the events that had led me to this very moment. It was almost too much to handle.

It felt like an eternity before my aunt and uncle returned, with what appeared to be the happiest faces they could possibly muster considering the scenario.

"He's fine," Aunt Lizzie finally breathed, as my mother hopped up and hurried toward her. "Dr. Cullen said he's gonna be fine," she choked out.

My father rushed to both of their sides. Simultaneously, they all pulled out their phones and began texting loved ones who were waiting on pins and needles to hear how the surgery had gone.

"He has a long road ahead of him, though," Uncle Tony added, as he pulled Aunt Lizzie into him.

Jasper, Edward and I remained in our seats. I felt a rush of relief come over me and remembered I needed to text Alice and let her know.

"I'm already on it, Bella," Jasper interrupted me, showing me his phone. I looked at him, confused initially, but then I realized he was trying to tell me he had already contacted Alice.

"I'm still texting her," I snapped at him. How dare he? She was _my_ friend. This information should have been coming from me after all. Who the hell did these Cullen boys think they w-

My thought was cut short by a familiar snicker. I glanced up slowly and deliberately to find a very calm and relaxed Edward leaning back in his chair, legs stretched out, eyes closed, hands behind his head, and a devious smirk on his face.

I wanted to slap it right off.

There was a time I had enjoyed kissing it off. I had spent many days and nights doing just that. Thoughts of our first kiss surrounded me, causing me discomfort. I immediately shook the memory from my head and finished my text to Alice. I heard back from her immediately.

***Jasper already texted me***

_What the hell?_

_***Couldn't you at least pretend to be hearing it from me first?***_

***No.***

Ugh. She was so frustrating sometimes.

***He also told me you and Edward are sitting across from each other pretending the other doesn't exist. How's that working for you?***

I glared at Jasper, who was busy texting away, maybe to Alice, maybe to someone else. Edward remained in his reclined position. He looked like he was waiting for a flight in an airport, not like he was waiting to hear news about his friend who had just had a brain tumor removed.

Jasper caught me staring at his brother, and I quickly averted my gaze. I wasn't going to respond to Alice's text just yet. I needed to call her privately. I needed someone to talk to.

Dr. Cullen appeared out of nowhere, looking tense and exhausted. It had been a long surgery. I couldn't even imagine what it must be like to personally know the patient you were cutting open. The thought of Marcus lying on a table made my body shiver.

He approached the three of us, seemingly unfazed at the sight of Edward and me within four feet of one another.

"Did Tony fill you in?"

We all nodded.

"We weren't able to get the entire tumor. He's going to have to receive radiation to take care of what's left. It's going to be a long recovery, but he'll persevere. There isn't a doubt in my mind."

"When can I see him?" Edward spoke first, taking the words right out of my mouth.

"It's going to be at least two more hours, maybe longer. You kids should just get out of here for a little while. There's nothing you can do now but wait." Dr. Cullen looked at me and smiled.

Edward and Jasper both stood, and for the first time all day, Edward actually glanced in my direction. It was brief, and it was indifferent, but it was a glance and not a glare.

I turned away from the Cullen men and found my parents on the other side of the room. My mother made eye contact with me, smiling with relief. I stood and hurried over to them, never turning back to face the Cullen's.

"We're going to get out of here for a little bit, Bella, and go get something to eat," my father told me. "Are you coming with us?"

I nodded. "Of course."

We made our way out of the waiting room, and it wasn't until we were halfway to the elevators before I realized I had left my purse. I rushed back, asking my parents to hold the elevator until I could get back.

When I first arrived back in the waiting room, I felt a wave of panic hit me, as I realized my purse was, in fact, not there. Before I even had a chance to react, a hand reached out in front of me with my purse in its grasp.

"Here you go…Bella."

My eyes traveled from the purse, up the arm and eventually to the face of the person standing there. It was Edward.

**_A/N: If you're still with me, thanks so much for waiting for this chapter. I usually do all my writing on Friday nights and lately, I just haven't had time :( I promise I won't leave you hanging for that long ever again! So, in case you haven't noticed, I like to drag things out...just a little_**

**_Reviews are love. See you soon! Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.  
Thanks to Dolly for cleaning up my messes. She's better than making out with Edward on his couch.**_

_**THIRTEEN DAISIES**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

_I traced my fingers over my hips and down my thighs. Edward's fingers had been here. I lightly touched my lips, cheek and jaw. Edward's lips had been here. I ran my fingers through my hair. Edward's hands had been here, too. They had roamed almost all of my entire body. _

_Almost._

_Smiling, I checked my reflection in the mirror of my vanity. My cheeks were flushed, and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. Nothing would be able to remove that smile. I had finally kissed Edward Cullen, and it had been beyond perfect._

_This particular afternoon had marked our eighth kiss, in fact, not that I was counting, and the kissing had now turned into full-blown make-out sessions. The kisses, which started out sweet and innocent, had now turned deep and passionate. _

_It had been difficult for the two of us to hide our attraction to one another over the past two months, but so far, we had been managing. Edward was adamant about keeping it from Marcus, whatever "it" was. Obviously, Edward wasn't my boyfriend. We didn't go on "dates." We didn't talk on the phone. In fact, we barely even spoke anymore. We simply met by the treehouse or in the treehouse, and then the making out ensued._

_Sure, Edward spoke in-between kisses._

"_So good."_

"_So beautiful."_

"_Can I touch you?"_

"_God, I want you."_

_I, on the other hand, couldn't utter much more than whimpers and groans in response to his words._

"_Mmmm."_

"_Ungh."_

"_Mmmhmm."_

"_Oh."_

_I was pretty sure Alice was aware of something. She gave me an odd look every once in a while, especially after Edward and I would send each other silent messages with our eyes. I knew when he looked directly into my eyes and then quickly towards the treehouse that I was supposed to meet him there. I also knew when he rolled his eyes to Jasper's or Marcus's references to meeting up with other girls, he was reassuring me I was the only one. I caught Alice squinting at me after one of his "eye" messages this afternoon, but so far, she hadn't asked any questions._

_I looked at my reflection again. My cheeks were still pink and flushed. This afternoon, things with Edward had become fairly intense. We had been on high alert, however, knowing we only had a short amount of time before Marcus and Jasper returned from their summer football camp. I could only imagine where things might have gone with a little more time. I simply couldn't control myself with Edward. Being with him like that did something to my body I couldn't explain._

_The thought made me smile._

_Just then, my phone buzzed, alerting me to a text message._

_***Daisy, want to come over tonight? I can't stop thinking about you-E***_

_Oh, Edward. I can't stop thinking about you, either. You have no idea._

_***Same, but how?***_

_***No one here tonight. Tell your parents you're going to Alice's.***_

_This was new and kind of scary, too, but when it came to Edward, I just couldn't say no._

_***Okay, but h-***_

_My phone was ringing before I had a chance to finish. Edward's name flashed on the screen, and my belly did flips, as I took a deep breath in preparation for answering._

"_Hey," I breathed._

"_Hey," he breathed back, heavier than me if it was even possible. "Um…are you, uh…do you want to…come over...I mean?"_

_It was the most nervous I had ever heard him. Edward was always so confident and intimidating. This was something else, which was new._

"_Yeah, I just don't know how to get there without telling my parents."_

"_Well, you can't tell them you're coming here. They're going out with my parents."_

"_Oh." News to me._

"_Yeah. So, tell them you're going to Alice's, and her mom is going to pick you up. Then, I'll come get you after they leave."_

"_Okay, but Edward?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_I'm going to have to tell Alice."_

"_Do what you have to do. I'll pick you up when they're gone."_

_I didn't like lying to my parents, but this was Edward, and this was the first time he actually wanted to be with me like this. This might be the only time we could do anything even remotely close to a date._

"_Alright, see you then."_

"_I'm counting the minutes, Daisy."_

_My heart beat heavily in my chest at his words. In a few weeks, I would be starting high school. Maybe, I would be starting high school as "Edward Cullen's girlfriend." I could tell my parents then. Surely, they would let me go on dates with him. They loved him and his family. And Marcus would be fine with it, too. After all, Edward was his best friend, and I was his favorite cousin. And those junior girls, they would be green with envy. Edward could parade me around on his arm, and we could go to the football games together, and maybe even go to prom._

_But for now, I had a story to tell my parents about hanging out at Alice's tonight and watching movies. Then, I had a very important phone call to make to my best friend._

_._

_._

_I waited impatiently for Edward on our front porch swing. My parents had left nearly twenty minutes ago, falling for my story about going to Alice's hook, line and sinker._

_Alice had handled the news of Edward and my "relationship" much better than I had anticipated. I think she was mostly excited at the thought of Edward getting us into high school parties. _

"_Oh, my God, Bella!" she whisper-shrieked, "Are you going to have sex with him?"_

"_No!" I growled into the phone._

"_Well, are you going to let him…do stuff?"_

_I honestly didn't know. I hadn't really thought that far into the evening. I wasn't even sure what "stuff" he would want to do. Sure, he had touched my boobs, even under my shirt, and he had ground on me on one occasion, but I hadn't thought much past those things._

_Edward pulled up in front of the house, grinning when he saw me. I hurried off the front porch and down onto the sidewalk. By the time I got there, he was holding my door open for me to climb in. I had seen Edward's car at Marcus's house, but I had never been in it. His parents had bought him a pre-owned silver BMW, and he was so proud of it. I climbed in, brushing against him slightly, causing my insides to flip-flop around. He eyed my legs sticking out of my little floral skirt I had picked out especially for the occasion._

_His tongue peeked out, wetting his lips slightly. I stared at them, wanting them on mine._

"_You look really pretty, Daisy."_

"_Thank you," I blushed for probably the tenth time today._

_I watched as Edward walked around the front of the BMW to the driver's side. He was so amazingly handsome. His t-shirt clung in all of the right places, and his jeans hung dangerously low on his hips. This boy, the things he did to me._

_I was pleasantly surprised, as Edward took my hand in his and held it over the center console the entire way over to his house. I nervously ran my free hand through my hair. We talked about nothing of significance, yet I hung on every last word, finding it difficult to look away from his beautiful face._

_I found out that Marcus and Jasper had gone to a party at Kate's house. They were curious when Edward had informed them he was not going with them. Marcus didn't question him too brutally, but Jasper, on the other hand, wasn't letting up. He had texted his brother three times since I had gotten in the car. He knew something was fishy and was interrogating him, attempting to figure out which girl Edward might be having over._

_I giggled, as Edward read me his most recent text._

_As we pulled into the Cullen's three-car garage, the realization of what was going on finally hit me. I was alone. With Edward. In his house._

"_We can watch a movie in the family room," he motioned toward the large room with the big screen TV just off the kitchen. I had been in that room so many times before, but tonight, it seemed so foreign to me._

"_I'd like that," I smiled._

"_Well, uh…" Edward ran his fingers through his hair, "make yourself comfortable."_

_So, I did._

_And Edward made himself comfortable next to me, then on top of me, and right now, with his head in my lap. I ran my fingers through his brown locks. He tickled my knees and traced his fingers across my legs, coming precariously close to the hem of my mini skirt._

_Edward suddenly turned over to face me, pulling me by my arm so he could kiss me once more. The movie was only thirty minutes in, and we'd barely seen a minute of it._

_I pulled back quickly, having a hard time kissing him from this angle. He caught on immediately and readjusted himself on the sectional so that I was now underneath him once again. I could feel him, all of him, hard against me. His left hand was entangled in my hair, his right hand slowly climbing up my inner thigh underneath my skirt._

"_Daisy, is this okay? I mean…I don't want to push you. I just can't control myself with you," he grunted out his words in between kissing my lips…my neck…my collarbone._

"_Yes," I managed to squeak out, causing him to chuckle._

_He wasted no time. I had barely answered, when I felt his fingers lightly touching the outside of my panties._

_This, too, was new._

_My heart was pounding out of my chest, and my lower belly was rolling in waves I had never felt before._

"_Shhh," Edward whispered to me, "I'll make you feel good, okay?"_

_I nodded against him. I wanted him. I needed this._

_His fingers began tracing slow, deliberate circles against the outside of my panties. Instinctively, my hips jerked up into his fingers, as I attempted to feel more, pushing back against them. Edward knew what I needed and began rubbing slightly harder, causing me to whimper against his lips. I could feel him smiling against me._

"_You like this?"_

_I nodded again, unable to form words. I ran my fingers up and down his back, not knowing what else to do with them. Edward continued rubbing me, eventually slipping his fingers inside my panties. It felt as though my heart would beat completely out of my chest, the realization of what he was doing finally hitting me. I had never experienced anything like this before, but somehow, it was so natural to me._

_I felt one of his fingers slide inside of me, while he continued to rub the outside. Oddly enough, Edward seemed to be enjoying this as much as I was. He moved himself over me again and again, groaning into my ear. I felt the most amazing warmth in my lower belly spreading. It built up, and I felt as though I was trying to climb something that wasn't actually there. My legs wrapped themselves around his torso, as I hit the top of the climb._

_My body jerked slightly, and I tried to fight it off, embarrassed of my uncontrolled reaction._

"_Bella!" Edward groaned into my ear, as his body jerked like mine, once, twice. Then three more times._

"_Fuck," he grunted out, "Shit."_

"_Sorry," I whispered, not sure what else to say._

_Edward pushed himself up onto his hands, hovering over me and looking at me curiously. "What the hell are you sorry for?"_

"_I don't know. You seem mad."_

"_Mad? Daisy, trust me. This is not my mad face."_

"_Well, I didn't get to touch…you," I told him, unable to look him in the eye._

"_It's probably good you didn't. I wouldn't have lasted two seconds. You just made me come in my pants without even touching me."_

_Oh…_

"_Oh." My eyes grew wide._

_Just then, the light above us flicked on, and an all-too-familiar voice entered the room._

"_Busted."_

_._

_._

Edward and I both turned to the sound of Jasper's voice. Before he could say another word, I snatched my purse from Edward's hand and began stalking off, back towards the elevators.

"Bella, wait!"

It was Jasper's voice again. I didn't have to turn around. I didn't owe him anything, but something inside of me overcame my resistance. I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned to face him.

"What?"

"You're supposed to call Alice. Big news at the shop this morning."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll let her tell you." He smiled that stupid Cullen smile at me.

"Okay. Thanks."

I glanced in Edward's direction one last time before turning back toward the elevators. He just gave me a blank stare. Should I say something? Oh, what the hell. I had nothing to lose.

"Thanks, Edward," I held up my purse.

Finally, he gave me his signature smirk. "No worries, Daisy."

_**A/N: Maybe a little progress? Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing. I always try to respond to everyone, but forgive me if I haven't. See you next week! Kisses from the Red Kat XOXOXO**_


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